Homeowners in Dallas are paying substantially more in property taxes than they were just five years ago.
According to virtual real estate company Redfin, property taxes in the city have risen roughly 41% since 2019.
However, Dallas County Tax Assessor-Collector John Ames does not entirely agree, saying the figure has some caveats.
“I love to see the reports where one people say, taxes are on the rise and [another] one will say taxes are holding steady and another one will say, your taxes may have gone down this year. And I just laugh and I say, because every single property is so unique. It depends on what jurisdictions you live in, what the price value[s] are, what the exemptions are that you have,” said Ames, per KERA News.
Texas has the highest property tax rate in the nation as a percentage of a home’s value. Conversely, California enjoys the lowest property tax rate in the country.
New York and New Jersey had the highest dollar values, while Phoenix ranked the lowest.
Ames said Texans concerned about property taxes are encouraged to review their tax history with their county or appraisal district’s website. That way, “you can really see, is your house increasing in value and are your taxes going up or down?”
Property taxes account for roughly 18% of the total housing bill in Dallas, which is around $570 per month.
For comparison, property tax represents around 20% of the total housing bill in Austin and 19% in San Antonio.
Redfin highlighted that states like Texas that do not have state income taxes need to rely more on property taxes to support government projects. The Lone Star State is also prone to natural disasters, which can result in a considerable cost burden for the state.
Ames said homeowners should push back if they believe their taxes are unjustifiably high.
“If you do not believe your home is worth that much, you have every right to contact the appraisal district and file a protest and talk to them about your evaluation,” Ames said.
“And you should always, every year, double check to make sure that you have all the exemptions that you’re entitled to — your homestead exemption, your over 65, your disabled, your veterans,” he stressed.